Inhaler



Nov. 11 1924.

l,5l4,890 w. c. K. BUCHANAN INHALER Filed A112. 18, 1919 Www za A TTORNEY Patented Nov. ll, 1924.,

ifihi? WILLIAM C. K. BUCHANAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

INHALER.

Application filed August 18, 1915). Serial No. 318,084.

To all witam 'it maty Gomera:

Be it known that I, W'ILLIAM C. K. BU- CHANAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cool: and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful mprovement in Inhalers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved device for containing more or less volatile liquid for perfuming and disinfecting purposes. My device is constructed to contain said liquid and permit the ready passage through the device of air without the possibility of the liquid running out of the containing device. rlhe device may be used for al variety of purposes, such for example as a perfuming means either in the open air or in rece-ptacles containing clothing, and as an inhaler.

My invention also includes means for holding the device in place when used as an inhaler so that it is unnecessary to use the hands for the purpose. My improved device consists essentially of a receptacle of material not attacked by the liquid contained therein having reentrant tubes of the same material extending from the outer surface of the receptacle into the same to retain the liquid in place and provide passages for the flow of air into and from the receptacle. My invention also provides devices for c-losing the said tubes partially or wholly as desired to prevent loss of the volatile liquid when the device is not in use.

My inventionwill best be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings showing preferred embodiments thereof in which- Fig. 1 shows an inhaler constructed in accordance with my invention in elevati'on and a device secured thereto by which the inhaler may be held in operative position by the teeth of the user.`

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of the inhaler shown in Fig. 1 with the holding device removed,

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale of the parts shown in Fig. 2 taken along the line 3--3,

Fig. 11 shows in a view similarto Fig. 3 a slightly modified construction as to the Shape of the cross section of the reentrant tube,

Fig. 5 shows in enlarged sectional view one of the valves employed in the construction shown in Fig. 2, and

Fig. 6 shows in a view similar to Fig. 2 one end of an inhaler without the valve mechanism employed in Fig. 2 and in this construction a retaining means is provided in the reentrant tube for restricting the flow of air therethrough and preventing the aoci dental spilling of' the liquid from the inhaler if it is sha-ken,

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

As. shown in Fig. 2 the container for the liquid is in the form of a tube 10 having rounded ends, said ends being inturned to form reentrant central tubes 11 and 12 of smaller diameter than the tube 10. The tubes 11 and 12 are provided with inwardly projecting annular flanges 13 and 11 and at their inner ends said tubes are of reduced" diameter as indicated at 15` and 16. The outer portions of the tubes 11 and 12 are provided with oppositely disposed inwardly projecting longitudinal fianges 17 and 18. A rod 19 of smaller diameter than the inner diameter of the ends 15 and 16 of the tubes 11 and 12 extends through nearly the whole length of the inhaler and at one end has rigidly secured thereto a cap 20 by means of which the rod may be turned. Adjacent the fianges 13` and 14;, nuts 21 and 22 are disposed upon said rod in engagement with threads thereon, the threads in the nut 21 being left-handed and the threads in the nut 22 being right-handed. As more clearly shown for the nut 22 in Fig. 3 each of said nuts is provided with opposite notches to clear the inwardly projecting longitudinal fia-nges above referred to. Each of the said nuts is preferably formed as indicated for the nut 22 in Fig. 5 and consists of a disc 22a of meta-l having the threads referred to formed inV it and provided at its outer edge with a fiange for retaining a disc 22b of relati'vely soft material such as cork to constitute the portion of the valve engaging the fiange 111.

As a result of the construction described when the cap .20 is moved in one direction both of the nuts21 and 22 are moved away from the fianges 13 and 111 and air may be drawn through the tubes 11 and 12 freely. When the cap 20 is turned in the opposite direction the nuts 21 and 22 are moved towards the fianizes 13 and 14 until the valve discs are firmly seated against said fiang'es to pre-vent the fiow of air through the container. The tube 10 and the tubes ll and 12 are preferably made of transparent material such as glass or transparent material such as celluloid or other composition not attacled by the liquid used in the inhaler so that the quantity of liquid in the inhaler may readily be seen at any time. To charge the inhaler with liquid containing the desired disinfectino' or healing substances the inhaler is held in inclined position with the nuts 21 and 22 moved from engag'ement with the flanges 13 and lfl and the liquid is inserted in the outer end of the upper reentrant tube through which it runs, dropping into the enter tube 10. until the liquid in the outer tube is somewhat below the upper end of the lower reentrant tube and with this quantity of liquid in the tube it will not be discharged therefrom for any position of the inhaler since the only possible outlet is always above the level of the liquid in the inhaler. For some purposes it is not necessary to have the valve mechanism above described in which case I lind it desirable to place fibrous material 23 in the reentrant tubes as shown for the tube 12a in Fig. 6 in which case the flang'e 14a serves to hold the fibrous material such as absorbent cotton in place. In this way l prevent the fiow of air through the tube being so violent as to such out out the liquid with it and alsoiprovide that the liquid cannot 'be spilled from the inhaler by shakino' the same.

To facilitate holding the inhaler in proper position for use I finc it convenient to employ a ring of wire spring 2d as shown in F ig. 1 which must be stretched somewhat to slip onto the inhaler and to one side of said ring` I rigidly secure a Curved member 25 which is preferably provided with a somewhat enlarged projecting` end 26 to be enq'aged by the teeth of the user. In this way the supporting device ma;7 be adjusted on the inhaler so that the teeth of the user will hold the inhaler conveniently and securely in operative position for as long a time as it is desired to use the inhaler, leaving` the hands of the user entirely free during`` the interval of use.

In the slightly modified construction shown in Fig` 4 the reentrant tube 12b is of oval cross section and the nut 22h is of similar form, as a result of which the form of the tube 12h itself prevents turning of the nut in the tube and thus the longitudinal fianges above referred to are not required. lVhere it is not desirable or necessary to use the valve mechanismlshown in Fig. 2, the outer ends of the reentrant tubes may be closed When not in use by means of small Vhis is cont-inued` plugrs or corks as indicated at 2( in Fig. 6 for the tube 12a.

An important result secured by the use of my improved holding means for the inhaler, is that the tendency to use the inhaler too hurriedly by forced breathing and inhalation is eliminated and the user gets better results by natural breathing continued for a longer' time interval. lillhile the chemicals or drugs employed iu the inhaler may be well suited for inhalation by natural bre-athing, it frequently happens that in forcing` the inhalation by unusually deep 01' vigorous breathing the volatile chemicals or drugs are drawn into the system in such large deses as to seriously irritate the mucous membraues, particularly in sensitive cases,

and in many cases causing derangement of the stomach and digestive processes; all of Vthis is ob'viated by the use of my holding devices, since with them there is no inconvenience in holding the inhaler in place and the inhalation can proceed by natural breathing for any desired time interval without preventing other activity of the user.

iVhile I have shown my invention in the particular embodiment-s. above described I do not however limit myself to these exact constructions in carrying out my invention as l may employ equivalents thereof known to the art at the timel of the filing of this application without departingr from the scope of the appended claiins.

VVhat I claim is:

1. in a device of the class described, the combination of a recept-acle for containing the liquid to be vaporized, reentrant tubes project-mg towards each other from oppositc ends of said receptacle forming an open passageway for air through said receptacle, said tubes retaining` said liquid in the receptacle without spilling` for any position of said receptacle, and devices for closing` said tubes, said devices ciunprising arod extending through said tubes and having right hand and left hand threads on its end portions, valve disls threaded to said. threaded end portionsa and transverse fianges eX- tending inwardly from said tubes to form seats for engaging said Valve disks.

2. In a device 'of the class described, the combination of a receptacle for containing the liquid to be vaporized reentraut tubes projecting towards each other from opposite ends of said receptacie formii'ig ;in open passageway for air through said recept-ach). said tubes retaining` said liquid in the reeeptacle without spilling for any position ot said receptacle, and devices for closini' said tubes. said devices comprising' a rod extending); through said tubes and having` right hand and left hand threads on its end portions, valve disls threaded to lit said threaded end portions, and transverse flanges eX- tending inivardly from said'tubes to form seats for engaging said valve disks, said tubes being of a cross section preventing turning lof said valve disks.

3. In a device of the class described, the

combination of a receptacle for containing the liquid to be vaporized, reentrant tubes projecting towards each other from opposite ends of said receptacle forming an open passageway for air through said receptacie7 said tubes retaining said liquid in the receptacle Without spilling for any position of said receptacle, and devices for closing said tubes, said devices comprising a rod extending through said tubes and having right hand and left hand threads on its end portions, valve disks threaded to it said threaded end portions, and transverse fianges eX- tending inwardly from said tubes to form seats for engaging said valve disks, said tubes having inwardly projecting longitudinal fianges engaging said valve disks to prevent turning of the same.

4. In a device of the class, described, the combination of a receptacle for containing the liquid to be vaporized, reentrant tubes projecting towards each other from opposite ends of said receptacle forming an open passageway for air through said receptacle, said tubes retaining said liquid in the receptacle Without spilling for any position of said receptacle, and devices for closing said tubes, said devices comprising a rod extending through said tubes and having right hand and left hand threads on its end portions.l valve disks threaded to fit said threaded end portions, transverse flanges extending inwvardly from said tubes to form seats for engaging said valve disks, and an enlarged head on said rod to facilitate turning the same.

5. In a device lof the class described the Vcombination of a receptacle for containing the liquid to be vaporized, reentrant tubes projecting towards each other from opposite ends of said receptacle forming an open passageway for air through said receptacle, said tubes retaining said liquid in the receptacle Without spilling for any position of said receptacle, and devices for closing said tubes, said devices comprising a rod extending through said tubes and having right hand and left hand threads on its end portions, valve disks threaded to fit said threaded end portions, transverse fianges extending inwardly from said tubes to form seats for engaging said 'valve disks`V and an enlarged head on said rod to facilitate turning the same, said head forming a cap to close the outer 'end of one of said tubes When said valve disks are on their seats.

said tubes retaining said liquid in the recep-A tacle Without spilling for any position of said receptacle, anddevices for closing said tubes, said devices comprlsing a rod extending lthrough said Vtubes and having vright hand and left hand-threads on its end ,portions, Valve 'disks threaded to fit said threaded end portions, transverse flanges extending'inwardly from said tubes to form seats for engaging said valve disks. and means for holding said receptacle in inhaling position comprising' a ringsurrounding said receptacle, and a supporting member secured to said ring. V

7. In a device of the class described, the combination of a receptacle for containing the liquid to be vaporized, reentrant tubes projecting towards each other from opposite ends of said receptacle forming an open passageway for air through said receptacle, said tubes retaining saidliquid in the receptacle Without spilling for any position of said receptacle, and means for holding said receptacle in inhaling position comprising a spring ring surrounding said receptacle, and a .supportingmember secured toand extending from said ring to be engaged by the teeth of the user.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination of a receptaole for containing the liquid to be vapori'zed, reentrant tubes projecting toWards each other from opposite ends of said receptacle forming an open passageway for air through said receptacle, said tubes retaining said liquid in the receptacle Without spillingfor any position of said receptaole, said tubes having inwardly` projecting flanges fibrous material held in'said tubes by said fianges, means for holding said receptaclc in inhaling position comprising a spring ring surrounding said receptacle, and a supporting member secured to and extending from 'said ring to be engaged by the teeth of the user.

9. In a Adevice of -the class described, the combination of a receptacle for containing the liquid to be vaporized, reentrant tubes projecting towards each other from opposite ends of said receptacle forming an open passageway for air through said receptacle, said tubes 'retaining said liquid in the receptacle Without spilling for any position of said receptacle, and devices for closing said tubes, said devices comprising a rod extending through said tubes and having right hand and left hand threads on its end portions, valve disks threaded to fit said threaded end portions, transverse fianges extending in- Wardly from said tubes to form seats for engaging said valve disks, and means for holding said receptacle in inhaling position comprising a spring ring surrounding said reeeptacle, and a supporting member secured 4, e f 1,514,89o

"V to and extending fromad ring to be enreeptaele, said tnbes having ndentat'ons 10 gaged by Ithe teeth of the user. thereln for'retalmng fibr'ous materlal 111 'smd 10. n a device of the class descrbed, the tubes, and having also ends of restricted dicombnation of a tuhular receptacle for conameter opening in line with each other. taning liquid, said receptacle having en- In Witness Whel'eo'f, I hereunto Subscribe closed ends, and tubes of smaller diameter my name this 15th day of August, A. D. 15 than the bore of said receptacle extending 1919. towar'ds each other from said ends'.l and hav- I ing their axes coaxa-l With the axs of said WILLIAM C. K. BUCHANAN. 

